


Who am I?

by ThunderFrost2012



Series: My little giant [1]
Category: Thor (2011)
Genre: Childhood, Family, Fluff, Gen, Introspection, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-05
Updated: 2012-07-13
Packaged: 2017-11-09 05:39:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/451968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThunderFrost2012/pseuds/ThunderFrost2012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Loki found out his true origin at the age of six years old?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first fic about this fandom, it's just that 'Thor', just like 'The Avengers' charmed me, possessed my heart, I'm in love with Loki and Thor (okay, mostly with Loki 3) and I'm more than sure that those two love each other ^^ awww
> 
> I've read many stories about Loki and Thor, loved a lot of them, I guess I'll never be that good, but let's try!
> 
> Well, I just know the things I learned from the movies, so I apologize for my ignorance about the comics! :(
> 
> I found a beta, but I still have to update the corrected chapters.. sorry ;P

I.

Those two knew very well that they weren't allowed to be in that room on their own, but, and that was even more important, that day they weren't even allowed to leave their rooms.

They had been punished, because of what they had done the day before.

After all, it's more than normal that two kids can hardly resist to the temptation of doing a little prank, that's why Thor and Loki simply couldn't.

They were respectively nine years old and six years old and they weren't ordinary children, they were two little princes, that's why they were supposed to be a role model for the others.

Too bad that the more something was forbidden, the more those two little rascals felt attracted to it.

Because of their attitude, they were often punished and their punishment was mainly a whole day to spend prisoners in their rooms, without the chance of seeing each other, which was the cruel part of that chastisement that the two princes found extremely unfair.

No matter how many toys they had, so many that they could make every other Asgardian child envious, to Thor Loki's company was the best game ever and vice versa.

The difference was that Thor had a large choice, because he was full of friends and everyone wanted to play with him; while Loki was always seen as the weird kid, the one to avoid, the one who would bring just and only troubles.

Maybe it was because the younger kid preferred the magic arts instead of the nobler and well-accepted warrior activities.

Thor, save their parents, was the only one not to judge Loki for that and he was his only true friend.

In order to make the two children achieve that punishment, there were two servants in front of the locked door, to prevent them from going to the corridors; but Thor had learned how to elude the supervisory control.

As every time he had found himself in that unpleasant situation, that afternoon the Odin's first-born son, with all the circumspection he could muster, had opened the big window of his bedroom, climbing on the windowsill.

From there, he had jumped easily with an athletic leap on the majestic tree that was also near Loki's bedroom, Odin's second son.

To the blond it was very easy to cross the branches and jump on the brunet's windowsill as he waited for his big brother, with his window open.

"You made it even this time!" the younger kid welcomed him, with the joy of seeing him sparkling in his big, emerald green eyes.

"I always make it!" the elder brother declared self-confident, with pride sparkling in his narrow but intense sapphire blue eyes. "So what can we do now?" he asked immediately after.

"You know, if we really have to be punished, at least let us be punished for something that is really worth it! We put those frogs on the laundry room just to have a good laugh!" Loki summed up, laughing at that memory, which was not remote at all.

"Yep, and one of the servants had a frog on her hair!" Thor laughed, being very careful not to make the servants outside hear him. "It was such a beautiful joke that even Sif, Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun told me we were great. See? They do understand us!" the elder brother commented, with a proud smirk.

Loki's face darkened.

"You mean that _you_ were great. They understand only you!" he snorted, pouting.

That was a vision that Thor couldn't tolerate.

"C'mon, Loki, don't act like this! You know that I always understand you!" the blond hugged him, with a protective attitude, as the brunet pressed his face against his chest.

When Loki raised his head to stare at his brother, the smile had come back on his features.

"Thor, do you want to take the risk of getting the king of all the punishments?" the younger kid urged him.

"What are you planning?" Thor stared at him, eager and intrigued.

After all, his little brother always had the most brilliant ideas and the most daring pranks had always his hand in it.

"Which is the most forbidden place that you can think about?" Loki peered at him with a smirk.

Immediately Thor's face lightened up with excitement and adrenalin.

"Loki, no, are you crazy? What if they found us?" Thor wondered, unable to hide a smile.

"They won't find us." Loki guaranteed with the self-confident calm that was typical of him.

"Loki, no…" Thor wavered one last time.

Loki smiled amused. He knew that that 'no 'actually meant 'yes'.

And his brother's question confirmed his theories.

"How can we do that?"

"The servants watch only over our doors. And father and mother are so sure that we won't get out from here that they didn't even extend the punishment to the whole palace." Loki explained.

"What does it mean?" the blond stared confused at him, scratching his head.

Perspicacity was not his strong point at all.

"I'm telling you that if we manage to get out of this room, we won't have anything else to worry about, at least until we reach our goal!" the little brother pointed out very patiently.

He was more than used to his big brother's obtuseness, but he was also subtly amused by that.

"C'mon, Thor, take us outside and the work is done!" the brunet incited him one last time.

Agility and strength were not his strong point at all.

The only answer he received was the blond flexing his legs and leaning forward, turning to the other.

"Jump on, little brother!" he invited him and Loki instantly obeyed, holding tight to his big brother who had an extraordinary strength, although he was only nine years old.

Well, the fact that Loki was very thin and petite made things even easier, but that only made stronger the sense of protection that Thor felt towards him.

With astonishing easiness, the blond climbed on the windowsill, with his pleasant burden wrapping his slender legs around Thor's waist and his arms around his neck.

Loki adored that oh-so-intimate contact with his big brother, in those moments he felt safe and protected by everything.

"Let's go!" Thor chuckled, jumping on the branch.

"Are you not afraid?" Loki murmured wavering, as he stared at the dizzy height that separated them from the ground.

Thor burst out laughing.

"Loki, a soon-to-be king can't be afraid of anything. Besides, I'm the strongest one!" he declared, before jumping on the other branches, until the height that separated them from the ground wasn't so scaring anymore.

In a few seconds, they reached the safe and soft meadow.

Loki came back to the ground very unwillingly, but they had a thrilling mission to accomplish.

They ran around the entire palace outside and went towards the main entrance, running through the corridors, free and undisturbed.

They were panting and their hearts beat very fast, but they kept smiling at each other, almost as if one wanted to encourage the other and vice versa.

There were only few meters that separated them from the weapons' room, but the more they got closer to it, the more they realised how big that risk was.

Anyway, the risk was nothing but a wonderful game to the two kids.

So far everything had gone fine and no one had seen them.

Loki and Thor were behind the corner of the corridor that leaded to the craved room.

Their father, which was all the gods' father and the king of Asgard, their realm, used to take them to the weapons' room, in order to show them some important relics and tell them the anecdote related to those objects.

The king used to talk often about what one day would be theirs, although only one of them was destined to the throne.

However, in that moment Odin was not with them and the access to that room was strictly forbidden. As a matter of fact, there were two guards who constantly watch over the room.

From their hiding place, the two children could easily see them.

"We won't ever have a chance to go inside the room, we'd better come back!" Thor snorted, blowing one of his golden locks from his forehead.

"Thor, a soon-to-be king never surrenders in front of the first obstacle!" Loki struck back, in a whisper, not to make the guards hear him.

"You're right, but... try to be reasonable; we can't fight against the guards!" Thor looked at the brunet puzzled.

Loki sneered mischievously.

"Who the heck ever said that we have to fight against them?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, it will be much easier to go inside once there won't be any guard to watch over there!" the younger kid smiled, very calmly.

"How do you think that you can do that?" his big brother stared at him, with admiring eyes.

He adored his little brother's brilliant mind.

"There's something that I've just learned to do and I guess that it could work; but I can't do that on myself, I need your help." Loki murmured.

"But... if you've never done it on yourself, how can you know that it's going to work?" the blond gave him a hard time.

"Hey! You know that I'm really good with my stuff! I've tried so hard, it's time to see the results!" the brunet snapped.

"Thor, do you trust me?" he asked him immediately after, with a calmer tone and a weak smile.

Thor showed him a larger smile and squeezed his hand affectionately.

"You already know the answer; just tell me what I have to do!"

"When I tell you, you must scream as loud as you can at the guards to go away, send them to the more far-away place you can think of!" Loki instructed him.

"Why should they ever listen to me?" Thor frowned.

"You'll see. Just try to sound like a king, try to say it as father would say it!" his little brother replied, placing himself behind his back. "I'll give you the signal, is that okay?"

"Okay!" the blond nodded with renewed trust.

Glad for his approval, Loki closed his eyes and concentrated deeply for few seconds, whispering something unintelligible.

When he opened his eyes, he noticed satisfied that there was a little, bright green light on his left hand.

He put that hand on Thor's shoulder, as the blond was busy choosing the place where to send the guards and he pictured the perfect one in his mind.

"Now!" the brunet whispered to the blond.

"Guards! I want you in the presence of Heimdall . It's an order, there's no time to waste!" Thor screamed at the top of his lungs, but the most astonishing thing was that from his lips the real voice of his father came out, Odin's real voice.

The guards jolted and without any wonder they rushed towards the place they've been ordered to go to, fearing that there was an attack from a hostile realm.

Loki took his hand off Thor and the small light faded away.

"How.. how did you manage to do such a thing?" Thor asked him stunned, with his normal voice and his eyes full of awe.

"It's a spell to disguise the voice and, yeah, it seems that I learned to do that extremely well!" Loki bragged, passing a hand though his jet-black hair, showing a large victorious smile. "Did you send them to Heimdall? That's brilliant, my dear big brother!" he congratulated with him immediately after.

"Well, at least they will have a long way to cross!" the blond chuckled. "After you, little brother." he invited him, coming out from their hiding place.

The coast was finally clear, but they knew that they didn't have too much time left: the guards would have figured out soon that little trick.

Thor and Loki ran inside the weapons' room, searching with their looks if there was any new relic, but they didn't find anything that they hadn't already seen.

Thor took advantage of that to admire the Mjiolnir, the legendary hammer that his father had used in many wars.

That was the most powerful weapon ever and the kid was blessed with that vision, as he daydreamed about the day when that hammer would be his.

Not very far from it, placed on a stone pedestal there was the casket of the kingdom of Jotunheim and it was the most important relic that Odin had taken back from a war.

That casket was the main source of the power of the Frost Giants, the inhabitants of that realm that was cold, dark and inhospitable; but mostly the Frost Giants were their sworn enemies.

Thor adored hearing his father telling the story of the war that finally had managed to bring a truce between the two realms. He wished he could become a brave and dreaded fighter, in order to show their enemies who held the absolute power.

Contrary to Thor, Loki didn't like very much hearing that story, he preferred when his mother told him about the other seven realms.

There was something in Jotunheim that made his heart sore and made him feel very uncomfortable.

He kept staring at the casket, maybe because he was captured by its intense light blue or maybe because he was attracted by an ancient and irresistible allure.

Loki felt the unstoppable compulsion to try to touch it and he couldn't comprehend the reason.

TBC


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!!
> 
> thanks for reading and mostly thanks for the kudo ^^   
> hope you'll still like it.
> 
> Ok, let's go on. This is a long chapter, hope you won't mind:

II.

"It's The Casket of Ancient Winters , which father always tells us about!" Thor commented, deciding that he had contemplated the legendary hammer long enough for that day.

"I can lift it up!" Loki stated, as he seemed to be in a sort of trance.

"No, father doesn't want such a thing. We shouldn't touch anything here!" Thor admonished him, taking some steps closer.

Loki took his eyes temporary off the casket to look at his brother.

"But I want to try, in order to show you that I can be as strong and brave as you!" the younger child insisted.

"My little brother, you don't have to prove to me anything!"the blond smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes, I do and I'm not afraid to do it!"

Saying those words, Loki grabbed the handles of the casket, in order to lift it, but, even without completing that effort, something happened, something unexpected and disquieting.

His hands had turned from their pale pink to blue and both of the children had noticed that.

"You have never done this magic before, but I don't like it..." Thor grumbled nervously.

"It's not magic!" Loki replied, scared. "I'm not doing that intentionally!" he explained, as he kept holding that casket.

It was almost as if there was a mysterious force that prevented him from letting it go, as the brunet felt a horrible frost taking possession of his body more and more, second by second.

And with the sensation of coldness, even the surface of blue skin increased; which had already extended to the whole length of his scraggy arms.

Thor backed off, even more nervous than before.

"C'mon, Loki, shake it off, I don't like all that blue!" he begged his younger brother desperately.

"I... can't!" Loki yelled irritated and gnawed by the frost; as he was searching for the strength to pull himself off that relic.

Thor gasped, jolting when he saw his awesome green eyes turning into two awful, dark red fissures.

"Why are you acting like that?" Loki asked him and then burst out crying, since he couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"Your... your eyes..." Thor stuttered, backing off even more.

"My eyes what?"

"You're a monster!" Thor yelled at him, scornfully, before a powerful stream of light overwhelmed them.

When the light faded out; Frigg, Odin's wife, was holding Thor in her arms as he was still shocked and trembling, but Loki felt much worse.

Finally he had switched back to his normal features, while Odin's strong arms held him close. Odin had dragged the kid away from the casket, with a tug.

"We've arrived too late." the king commented, exchanging a guilty look with his consort, who confined herself just to bow her head, as she caressed Thor's golden locks.

With a last series of judders and sobs , Loki raised his head.

"Wh-what was that, father? What was I?" he wondered, with broken voice and his big green eyes lightly reddened by the crying.

Odin sighed heavily, preferring not to answer, as he kept caressing his black hair, in an attempt of comfort.

In the meantime also Thor had recovered and he had turned to Loki again, relieved to see him with his usual features.

"We just wanted to go here for fun, but then Loki touched that thing," he resumed to his mother, pointing quickly with his index at the casket. "So he turned into something different, all of the sudden... and I got frightened; but a proper king should never be afraid!" he added, reprimanding himself.

"No, Thor!" Loki struck back, glaring at him. "A proper, good and kind brother should never be afraid!"he held it against him, as he looked deeply upset.

Thor was about to answer back, but he preferred to keep silent.

Odin held Loki even more tightly and that drew the kid's attention back to the undisputed king of the realm.

"Was it an unintended magic? Was it something that I can't control yet?" he asked the man with a weak, very weak hope in his heart, since he already feared that it wasn't so.

"My dear children, because of these unpleasant circumstances, I'm not allowed to hide the truth from you anymore." the king sighed.

"And what is the truth?" Loki questioned him, as serious as ever.

"Everything started with the battle of Jotunheim." the king decided to start his tale, as he was trying to temporize.

\- He's only six years old, he can't already stand the fact that king Laufey disowned him and left him to die alone and uncared-for; because he was unworthy for their kind!- the wise and fair father of all gods pondered, reading the same doubt in his beloeved wife's eyes.

The kids were waiting patiently and silently for him to go on.

"I mean, even before the battle started. Someone from Jotunheim managed to arrive to our realm, I don't know how, putting a carrycot in front of our royal palace. Inside the carrycot there was a newborn baby." Odin went on.

Loki jolted hearing that news, parting himself from Odin's embrace.

"That baby... it was me!" the younger kid figured out on his own; so much that his wasn't a question, but a pure understatement.

Thor confined himself to gasp in surprise.

With a quick look and a thankful smile, Frigga let her husband know how much she approved that version of events that was meant to be less painful for thier dear Loki.

"Yes, Loki, it was you. I found a folded sheet of paper inside the carrycot ,where your parents appealed to my magnnimous nature and asked me to take care of you, because you were too small to be considered a proper giant and they feared that you would not be safe in their realm, without mentioning the danger of the incoming war," the king explained, putting his hand on the brunet's shoulder. "You parents made that sacrifice, giving up to you, very unwillingly, just and only because they wanted you to be happy, serene and safe here with us, in my family, loved as a son, as my son, in the eyes of the whole realm!" he concluded.

In a fit of rage, Loki pushed Odin's hand off his shoulder, sort of rudely.

"I'm not worthy of your touch, I'm not worthy of this family! I'm your sworn enemies' son, there must be somethiing horrible in me as well!" Loki hissed, trembling because of the anger.

"Loki, no, don't talk like this!" Thor cut him off, getting up to approach to him, but Loki backed off, heading towards the exit.

"Shut up! You can't understand how I feel, no one can!" the younger kid screamed in tears, rushing towards the corridors.

Thor didn't waste any time and ran after him.

Frigg was about to reach them, but Odin stopped her.

"No, Frigg, we must not interfere now!"

The woman glared at him so coldly that he was almost intimidated.

"Right now my son is going through the hardest moment of his life. He has no certainty anymore, no points of reference. You can't ask me not to interfere!" she faced her king, stubborn and austere, before leaving.

While the adults were discussing, Loki was already crossing the last corridors, determined to go back in his room; but Thor had always been faster than him.

"Loki..." he murmured, grabbing his forearm, before the brunet reached his destination.

"Let me go!" the younger kid snapped.

"Nope, you're my brother and ..."

That's it. He had just said that. He had said that word that Loki had always loved so much, but in that moment it was painful as a stab through his heart that let its blade sink in it, implacable.

He turned to the blond, with his emerald gemstones narrowed into icy fissures, as he trembled, unable to refrain from letting that flood of conflicting emotions overcome

himself.

Loki had definitely lost control.

"I do not have any brother!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, emanating a powerful wave of energy that swept Thor away, smashing him against a wall, where he passed out.

"Thor?" Loki called him, wavering, with his eyes filled with tears, as he was shaking him lightly.

The brunet was relieved when he saw the blond stirring, opening his eyes.

However, before the elder kid could fully recover, Loki had already gone away, locking himself in his room.

Just a bunch of minutes before, that room seemed to him a suffocating prison that prevented him from having fun; but right then it was his refuge, the place where he could remain alone with his thoughts.

Yeah, too bad that Loki was terrified by his own thoughts. Only recalling what he had done to his brother before made him shiver.

\- We played the battle so many times, but this time ... it was different. I ... I wasn't myself anymore! -

A light knock on the door took his mind away from his pondering.

"Leave me alone!" he yelled at whoever was behind that door.

"Honey, it's me. Please, let me in!" the sweet and soothing voice of his mother exhorted him.

\- No. Not mother. Frigg. The queen of this realm... which is not mine! - the child reproached himself, but he couldn't forget how many times those warm arms had hugged him tight, comforting him in the hardest moments, just like he couldn't deny how much he needed one of those hugs in that moment.

That's why he twisted the key in the lock, allowing the queen to step in.

"Oh, Loki, my beloved child!" she held him close to her chest, caressing his jet-black hair.

"No, that's not true. I'm not yours! I don't belong to anyone!" he hissed acidly,parting from her, but the woman grabbed his hand and took him to the bed, where they both sat.

"I know what you're doing now. You're listening to your head, you're letting your rationality predominate; and your rationality only tells you that we don't have the same blood flowing in our veins." she commented.

"Well, it's the truth after all, isn't it?" he made her notice.

"Yep, it is, we can't deny that; but do you really think that a real family is made by the blood? Do you think that the real parent is the one who just gives birth to you and not the one who raised you with indiscriminate love, remaining always by your side, laughing with you in the happy moments and comforting you in the sad ones?" she asked him, placing her palm on his chest.

The kid's eyes grew wider, as he was unable to utter a word.

"It's your heart that you have to listen to, Loki. It will give you the answer," the woman smiled at him.

Loki followed her advice, he listened to his heart and then he wiped his tears, smiling back at her.

"Mother?" he vacillated, grasping in a fist a leap of her opulent dress.

"Yes, my sweet, sweet child! That's what I am and what I will always be!" she caressed his face. "Just like Odin is your father, because he loves you as a son, because you are our son, the rest doesn't matter!" she heartened him. "You know what? When your father and I saw you for the very first time, you were utterly blue, but small like any other baby."

"Really?" he asked curious.

"Yes, but as soon as he lifted you in his arms, your skin changed and you became a beautiful Asgardian child, not that you weren't already beuatiful before! Loki, you were designed for us, you belong to our family!" Frigg gave him the unpteenth confirmation.

"How is Thor?" the kid asked, after few istants of hesitation.

"Don't worry, he's fine, I saw him run to his room!" Frigg answered.

"Mother, I didn't want to do that, it's only that..." he began to agitate.

The woman hugged him once again.

"I know, we all hear your screams, but you were so shocked... it's more than normal... and I'm sure that also Thor understood that. Your brother loves you."

"But he's not my real ..." Loki tried to strike back, but Frigg made him shut up, placing a finger on his lips.

"Don't you say that.

Never! Deep inside your heart, you know that it isn't so. You must always remember this, Loki: you have a mother, a father, but mostly a brother who love you endlessly!" she reassured him, leaving the room, while the kid was troubled by a painful awareness, but that leaded him to a very good purpose.

\- I was horrible to Thor. I have to make peace with him! -

******************************** (In the meantime)

\- I was horrible to Loki. I have to make peace with him! -

That was the elder Asgardian prince's main thought, as soon as he had regained consciousness, seeing the other little prince running away.

\- I must make him forgive me and maybe I know what to do! – he decided, enlightened by a brilliant idea.

That's why he rushed towards his room, but he met his mother on his way and he told her shortly what had happened.

Once he was in his room, he opened a large trunk, where among toys and several tools, he found just what he was looking for.

He immediately started to work, but after few minutes someone knocked at the door and then he opened it without ceremony.

"Sonny, Sif and the others are waiting for you for the daily training!" his father informed him.

"I'm not going to do the training!" Thor replied scornfully, turning to the king. "How is Loki?" he wondered immediately after, with apprehension in his tone.

"Don't worry, your mother is talking to him. It was such a big shock for him, but maybe it's better that he found out the truth now," the Allfather commented, and then he scrutinized his son. "Did that change something to you?"

He was happy when he saw Thor shaking his head negatively.

"Blue, green, yellow, red, purple, it doesn't matter... I'll always love Loki so, so much!" he assured.

"Your words make me glad a lot. Now go to the training, you know that it's very important to forge the moral fibre and to strengthen your body!" Odin urged him.

"I know, but I have something much more important to do!" the child insisted, bracing his feet against the ground.

"May I know what the matter is?" the father interrogated him, as he took a look around and noticed that there was an undefined project on the desk.

"It's something that will help me make peace with my brother!" Thor announced, determined.

The king beamed, patting his shoulder.

"My dear son, I guess that this is a very worthy reason!" he said, leaving as proud as ever.

Half an hour later, after running some tests, in order to find the right words to say, someone else knocked at Thor's door.

Thor snorted irritated. His work was half done and he didn't want to stop just right then.

"Mother, could you come back later? I guarantee that I'm fine, you also saw that!" he asserted, speaking out loud, without moving from there.

"Thor, it's me!" a tiny voice squeaked, a voice that was very familiar to Thor.

He was glad that his little brother still wanted to speak with him.

\- But now it's too soon, I'm not done with the gift for him yet. And I want it to be a huge surprise! – he thought, getting up and walking towards the door, in order to open it, but just a little chink, to prevent the other from seeing anything.

"Loki, it's not the proper moment, leave me alone!" the blond murmured.

"But..." the brunet protested.

"Loki, go away!" the elder kid sent him away, locking the door.

\- Maybe I was a bit harsh, but when he sees my surprise he will understand!- Thor thought, going back to his desk more thrilled than before.

Too bad that Loki had gotten a different message; while, upset and disheartened, he stared at the locked door.

\- He doesn't want to see me, he's angry with me! He doesn't consider me his brother anymore... because, it's true, I'm not! – he repeated to himself, going back to his own room.

That bitter interaction with Thor had been enough to sweep away all the certainties that Frigg had patiently and lovingly brought back to him, but now they were dragged away like leaves in a whirlwind.

A cold, icy wind that was trapping the child's heart in its pitiless grip, once again.

\- So all the speech mother-no-Frigg made before... it was just and only a bunch of lies! An attempt to deceive me, making me believe something that's not true. Truth is that I'm all alone in this world, no one really cares about me, I can rely only on myself – he went on with his distorted conclusions, grabbing a duffel-bag and filling it with a folded blanket, a pair of clean clothes, some bread rolls that were left from his afternoon snack and a couple of the books he adored so much, although he had just learned to read.

\- Thor told me to go away and I will!-

He approached to the window and opened it for the second time in that day; and then he put the duffel-bag on his shoulders and climbed on the windowsill.

He stared terrified at the gap between the windowsill and the robust branch, feeling dizzy.

For one moment he was tempted to go back; but then he received another visit from that cold rationality that was becoming his loyal companion.

\- No, the new Loki is not allowed to be afraid! – he imposed to himself, jumping with determination and landing on the branch.

Very laboriously, he managed to get off the tree, feeling safe when his feet touched the ground again. He started to run, helped by the winter dark that hid him more easily to everyone's sight.

At dinner time, as usual, Frigg went to call him; but when she opened the door, she saw a little mountain under the covers.

She smiled, sitting on the bed.

"My dear son, you had a day so plenty of intense emotions that it's normal that you are worn out now!" she murmured, pulling the covers behind, in order to tuck him better.

That's when she realised the little trick.

Under the covers there were nothing but gathered toys and puppets.

Thor was utterly satisfied.

It had taken him a long time, but finally he could ecstatic admire the results of all his efforts and it was a very well done work of art.

\- Loki will love it!- he grinned in anticipation, grabbing the gift for his brother and leaving the room, eager to give it to him, but a scream made his blood run cold.

It was his mother's scream.

"Loki ran away!" the queen burst out crying desperately and Odin immediately appeared by her side, wrapping his strong arms around her.

As the king comforted his wife and wiped her tears, although he was as afflicted as her, while she was telling him about the speech she had had with Loki few hours before; Thor was still trying to elaborate that dreadful news, because he didn't want to believe that, it couldn't be possible.

\- If Loki really ran away, it's just and only my fault.- he blamed himself.

Odin and Frigg headed to Thor's door to give him that sad news, but they found nothing but an open window, with the icy cold that whipped at their royal faces and the anguish that devoured their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is such a mess isn't it?
> 
> Well, no matter if they're kings, queens, gods or magicians... I guess that for every parent is traumatic when their son ran away from home... even worse if it's two sons!
> 
> I hope you'll still like this story. Feel free to ask me any questions... but I could choose not to answer *sneers and gives a high five to Loki Senior * ;)
> 
> See ya on next chapter.
> 
> a comment, even a tiny one, a word would make my day, if I'm not asking too much, that's it. ^^
> 
> Thanks anyway, of course.
> 
> I just need to know if I'm doing a decent job or I'm just wasting my time.


	3. III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm back ^^
> 
> awwww, thank you for your support, the kudos and mostly the comment ^^
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> Okay, about this chapter, I have to warn you: EXTREME FLUFF

III.

There wasn't time to be upset. It was time to act and quickly; and Odin knew that very well.

He headed to the throne room, with his beloved consort by his side.

"Guards! I want you in the presence of me. It's an order, there's no time to waste!" he commanded, with all the authority that characterized him.

The guards rushed there in few instants, filling the empty corridors with heavy steps and the metallic noises of their armours.

"My sons escaped from the palace, but they can't be too far. However, I believe that it's Loki the one who is intentioned to leave the realm. I want you to check all the borderlines and the transit zones!" the king instructed his men; as Frigg was trying to regain her usual composure that her position of high social standing required.

While her husband was still busy ordering, his gaze fell on two guards, which had just arrived, in big late.

For the record, they were the guards of the weapons' room

"Whatever could refrain you from being here, answering to your king's call?" Odin wondered, rigorous.

The only answer that he received was their scrupulous looks, as they both tilted their heads to examine him better.

"Yep, I guess that this time it's the true one!" one of them whispers to his colleague who nodded.

Odin had heard them.

"Of course I'm the real Odin; and this is an authentic order of the authentic, one and only all gods' father!" he roared.

"Forgive us, Sire, for our diffidence." the first guard replied.

"It's just that ... that voice was identical to yours... with same, exact words!" the second guard grumbled, as they both took a bow with reverence.

"You, morons! I still don't understand how two children managed to cheat on you! You're supposed to be my best guards!" the king snapped.

"Now go and prove me that you're still worthy of the trust I still place in you!" he commanded and his guards left, running after the other colleagues who had already started the researches.

Odin heard a little snicker behind his back.

"Is something amusing you much, my dear?" he raised his eyebrow, turning to his wife, pretending to glare at her, with the only good eye he had.

After all, he was glad to see her finally serener.

"Even the same, exact words? My king, it seems that someone knows you very well!" she answered, with a teasing attitude; as she was comforted by the certainty that they would have found their children, taking them back home, safe and sound.

"When they're back, they will have a lot of things to explain to me!" the king grumbled. "However, if Loki is as good in hiding as he's skilled with the magic... we're in big trouble!" he added, concerned.

/

Loki knew that.

He was sure that the king would have sent his guards to search for him, probably in order to punish him properly, after such an affront towards the kingdom.

Anyway, because of their not so silent pace, he could easily figure out when they were approaching, so he could anticipate their moves; hiding behind a bush, or inside an empty trunk or wherever his smart mind suggested him to hide.

After even the third group of guards searched around the whole zone, without finding him, Loki established that they were the last group and none of them would have disturbed him anymore; so he could get ready to face the night.

It was past nine o'clock and Loki was a little tired.

\- I'm safe for tonight. Tomorrow I'll find a way to leave... even if I had to ask a Pentapalm for a ride! – the child thought, drawing out his blanket and wrapping it around himself, resting against a tree that gave him shelter with his majestic foliage.

He was inside a blanket not because he felt cold, but to recreate that sensation when his mother tucked himself up.

-Not mother, Frigg! – he reminded to himself for the umpteenth time, sending back the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes once again.

He laid down there, quiet, observing melancholic the pond; where he had gone the day before with his brother to catch the frogs for their pranks.

\- No, he's not my brother, he's only the king's son!- he admonished him, as he kept staring at the shores, recalling all their chatting and their laughing as they were plotting their jokes.

\- Can I turn back to yesterday and pretend that today never came? Yesterday I still had a family. And a brother. Yesterday everything still used to be... perfect.- he pondered, sighing, before his utter attention was dragged by a noise.

It wasn't anything metallic that he could associate to the guards. Nope; it was a rustle, louder and louder, and before he could figure out what it was, Loki found himself face to face with a little, but dangerous snake, which was standing up, looking at the child in a threatening way, ready to attack.

**************************** (In the meantime)

Thor knew it.

He knew that he had to be faster and smarter than the guards who were looking for him.

It had been nothing more than ten minutes since he had escaped, which was the consequence of Loki's escape; the alpha father must had sent all the guards of the whole realm searching for them.

But Thor didn't mean to be found, not before accomplishing the most important of all his missions.

He proceeded with caution, although he didn't know which direction to follow; but the most important thing right then was to get as far as possible from the royal palace.

Every time he heard some guards approaching, he remained hidden, trying not to make a single sound and then he waited until they left.

Thor stopped, because he had figured out on his own that it was useless to keep running if he hadn't a goal.

\- What would I do if I were Loki?- he wondered.

\- Well, Loki would cast a localization spell and he would find me in a heartbeat. I know he cheats in this way every time we play hide and seek! But I don't know magic, I must use my brain... and my little brother is so much better than me in that, too!- the blond child thought, as he was starting to rack his brains.

And then, out of the blue, the answer came so instantaneous, outstanding and simple that Thor burst out laughing.

\- Sure! He must be there, absolutely! -he figured out, as he began to run as fast as the wind.

Finally he knew where to go.

**************************** (In the meantime)

Loki stared at the snake and the snake stared at him.

It was hard to establish who had the most hypnotic look.

However, in the child's eyes there wasn't fear, or repulsion, just a lot of... sweetness.

"You and I are not that different, you know? You are in cold blood and are solitary, because the other animals don't like your company, so they force you to crawl all alone and they think that you're evil; only because you're not like them!" the child smiled at the little reptile that seemed to understand him; since it stopped its attacking pose and slid on the ground, placidly.

"I really comprehend how you feel, because I'm like you!" he went on, with an upset grimace.

The snake crawled towards him, but only to bring its head closer to his hand, almost as if it wanted to be caressed. And the kid pleased the animal, glad because of that display of affection.

"Noooo, Loki, be careful!" Thor exclaimed, since he had seen the younger kid from afar, running towards him.

Hearing him, the snake got scared and crawled away from Loki, disappearing behind the bushes.

"Nooo! Here we go, Thor, look! You have made my new friend escape, probably it was the only friend that has left to me." the brunet pouted.

"What are you babbling about?" Thor stared at him confused.

"How did you find me?" Loki asked him bitterly, getting up.

"I know you better than anyone else. I knew that in such a situation, you would have taken refuge in the last place where you had pleasant memories." Thor smirked.

Loki's eyes went wide, as he stared at the other child, amazed by his ability to read him like an open book.

However, Loki couldn't lose himself in those stupid sentimentalisms.

"Evidently, fath- the king decided that it wasn't enough to send all his guards searching for me, he had to send his only worthy son, too!" the brunet grumbled, acid. "Good, Thor, very good. You found me, so now you can bring me back to the palace, where I'll be punished as a traitor!" he went on, surrendering.

"Loki, what the heck are you talking about?" the blond stared at him even more puzzled. "Why did you call that snake your only true friend? What about me? Am I not your friend? You're my best friend, I thought I was yours." Thor asserted, with a hint of disappointment and glumness in his tone.

"That was before." Loki muttered, grieving, as he stared at the ground.

"Before what? Anyway, listen, Loki, it's not father who sent me here. I escaped, right after I've found out that you had escaped!" the elder child revealed.

Loki raised his gaze, staring at him astonished; but once again he jumped to the wrong conclusion.

His eyes darkened with rage.

"Oh. So it's you who they're searching for. They don't even care if I escaped. Quite the contrary, probably they didn't even notice that!" he hissed coldly, shrugging.

Thor approached to him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him.

"Loki, what happened to you? Do you realize the mad things that you're saying?" the elder kid almost screamed.

"Mother and father are desperate; mother was the first one to notice that you had escaped and she screamed and burst out crying. Everyone misses you; but mostly I did." the blond murmured.

Loki stared at him, stunned and speechless.

"So, if you don't want to come back home, fine, I won't come back either!" Thor declared, surprising the younger kid even more. "But first, you must tell me what you're running from!" he questioned the brunet, immediately after.

Loki gulped and took a long breath, before speaking.

"Well... from you!" he admitted.

"From me?" the blond frowned. "Why?"

"Do you even dare to ask me?" Loki got angrier, parting from him.

"Before, I knocked to your door, because I wanted to talk with you, I wanted to apologize for my bad behaviour." Loki started his confession.

Thor burst out laughing.

"Wait. Let me know if I got it straight. *You* wanted to apologize to *me*? I'm the one who acted horribly. *I* wanted to apologize to *you*. Loki, it's me the real monster." Thor admitted, getting closer to him again, in order to face him better.

"But... no! It doesn't make any sense. You pushed me away, as if you hated me, as if you didn't want to see me anymore... after what happened!" the younger child mumbled, confused.

"No, Loki, I could never do such a thing. It's true, I pushed you away, but only because I wasn't ready yet to apologize to you, I hadn't finished my present for you." Thor revealed.

"A present?" the younger prince frowned.

"Wait for me, here." the elder prince said, running towards the bush where he had placed his gift, before rushing to save his little brother... or at least he thought he was doing that.

"Lucky for me, it's not raining, otherwise it would have spoiled it!" he commented, going back to the brunet, holding the mysterious object in his hands.

"Loki, I didn't make you go in my room because I wasn't done with... this." he murmured, handing the manufacture to his brother, who turned it over in his hands, observing it bewildered.

It was a little helmet, made with thick cardboard, covered again and again, to make it more resistant.

In front there were two long, pliable, warped horns, made in paperboard as well.

It was utterly coloured with golden fell-tips, without any smear, with shades of green, too.

"Did you that? For me?" the brunet wondered with ghostly voice, because of the strong emotion.

"Yep. I saw the way you look at the guards' helmet, so I thought you would have liked to have one," the blond grumbled, scratching his nape as he felt awkward. "I wanted to steal one from a guard, but it would have been way too large for you. I know it's not the same, but..." he went on justifying.

"Thor, this is beautiful!" Loki cut him off, staring at him with teary eyes and the shadow of a smile.

"I'm so glad that you like it! I've worked really hard on it; I wanted it to be perfect!" Thor grinned at him.

"It is." Loki murmured, as he kept admiring it.

"Wear it!" the elder child exhorted him.

The brunet obliged and they both were happy to see that it was the right size.

"I can't make a mirror appear yet. So... how do I look like?" Loki wondered, setting carefully the horns.

"You look like a king." Thor smiled at him.

Loki smiled back at the blond, as he could already picture himself on a throne... one day.

"Think about when we'll be grown up; we'll wear our shiny armours and fight tons of battles, side by side. Me, with my strength, and you, with your magic. We'll be invincible and we'll defeat all the enemies of our realm!" Thor daydreamed, wrapping an arm around Loki's neck, to pull him closer.

Loki quit smiling and grieved once more.

"Nope, Thor, that won't ever happen." he asserted, sullen, parting from him and taking the helmet off, placing it on his blanket.

"Why?" the elder child wondered, his blue eyes darkened with a deep sadness.

"Because things changed, I've changed. I'm dangerous." the younger kid asserted, as serious as Thor had rarely seen him.

But Thor was determined as well.

"It's useless that you try to scare me. It doesn't work. Not now that I understood everything." he struck back, bravely.

"What did you understand? I'm different from you, Thor! I'm different from everyone else. You saw me changing my aspect. It could happen again. Can't you see me? I'm a damn frost giant!" the brunet yelled at him.

Thor did something that surprised Loki.

Smiling, the blond took the brunet's hands in his, squeezing them, staring at him so deeply that he could touch his soul.

"All I see is Loki Odinson: my brother!" he stated with absolute conviction.

Loki stared at him speechless, still with teary eyes, before holding him tight, as he burst out crying.

"Dear my brother, I mistook everything. I did such a mess. I don't deserve to be forgiven!" he sobbed among tears, jolting.

Thor hugged him, wiping his tears.

"Nope, Loki, nothing happened. We fixed everything, everything is okay. No one is angry with you. Let's come back home, little brother. Mother and father can't wait to hold you in their arms again." he comforted his brother with assuring words.

"Really?" Loki sniffed, raising his emerald, big, teary eyes, towards him.

Thor confined himself to nodding, with the sweetest smile ever, caressing his jet-black hair and waiting for him to calm down.

When even the last sob ceased and there were no more tears on his face, Loki parted from his brother, in order to gather his stuff and wear his helmet again.

"Anyway, c'mon, Loki, you can't be a frost giant. You're so tiny!" Thor teased him, laughing.

"Hey! That's not true! I'm a proper frost giant!" Loki protested, insulted.

"No, you're not, tiny boy!" Thor retorted.

"I told you I am a frost giant!" the other insisted.

"No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes , I am!" Loki repeated, taking the helmet off, before flying at Thor; who was waiting for nothing but that.

They rolled on the grass, getting dirty as they yelped and laughed, in that playful battle that was so typical between brothers.

Loki fell on Thor, both panting exhausted, but happy.

"Do you give in?" the younger child challenged him.

"Truce. You know what? You're my little giant!" the elder child smiled and Loki seemed to be pleased by that.

"Deal!" he smirked satisfied, getting up and grabbing his beloved helmet, wearing it victoriously, before taking his duffel-bag.

They had only walked for a few meters, but one of them didn't seem very willing to go on.

"Big brother?" the brunet called out.

Thor beamed, with pure joy sparkling in his sapphire eyes when he heard those two words that he had missed so much.

"Yeah, little brother?" he answered, taking the other's duffel-bag.

"I'm so tired..." Loki yawned, with his eyes half-closed.

No wonder about it, he had had such an eventful day.

"I got you. Jump on!" the blond bent down and the other accepted that gentle offer.

That adventure for Loki ended in the same way that it had started: with Thor carrying him on his shoulders.

From afar, Thor managed to see one of the guards who were searching for them so meticulously, as the kids hid from them even more meticulously.

Thor ran towards him, glad because he had found a comfortable ride to home.

/

"My king, my queen, I have the immense pleasure and honour of returning to you the little princes, safe and sound!" the guard exclaimed triumphal; for a twist of fate, it was just one of the guards of the Weapons' room.

"Yeah, sure, as if you really found us *on your own*!" Thor hissed pungently, glaring at the guard, as Loki had woken up, because of all the noises, but he still seemed kind of dazed.

Frigg forgot her decorous self-control and rushed towards the two children, wrapping them both in her embrace.

"Oh, my dear, little treasures! Don't you dare ever again make me worry so badly!" she cuddled and reproached them at the same time.

Loki seemed to fully awake, whispering a subtle 'Sorry' , suffocated by her embrace, as she peppered his face with kisses.

"My beloved son, I'm glad that the harmony and the renewed trust had won over the doubt and the anguish!" the king declared.

Frigg let them go and reached her consort.

"On the other hand, I can't forget that you broke one of my rules, sneaking through the Weapons' room!" the alpha father went on, with a more severe tone.

"Two rules, since they were already punished and weren't supposed to leave their rooms!" Frigg added, in a necessary punctilios way.

Thor and Loki exchanged an upset look.

"You're right, my precious wife. So, considering all these facts, nothing will save you from a week of punishment, confined in your rooms... and forget about escaping from the windows!" Odin adjudged peremptory.

"A whole week?" Loki repeated shocked, as Thor snorted in disappointment.

"We should have left the realm, little brother!" Thor whispered at him, making the other giggle.

"I heard you!" their father scolded him with a glare.

"C'mon, children, discipline is necessary." Frigg stated. "Besides, once your punishment ends, we'll throw a party in the whole realm, to celebrate your return!" she announced, seeing the little princes grin excited.

That was the effect that the queen wanted to obtain.

"A party for us?" the kids asked in unison, thrilled.

"A party?" Odin narrowed his eye. "We hadn't talked about any party!" he grumbled.

"We will throw a party, my king!" Frigg turned to him, with a look and a tone that wouldn't have accepted a 'no' as answer.

"Of course, my dear, we will have a party!" her husband surrendered, woeful.

"Loki, but... what's on your head?"he asked his younger son, observing him better.

"It's my helmet; Thor made it for me! Isn't it glorious?" the child grinned.

"Yep, honey, it is. And you look very good with it!" his mother smiled at him.

The king caressed his chin, thoughtful. Maybe he had found the way to know more about a matter he really cared about.

"Sonny, would you like to have a real helmet?" he turned to Loki.

"A real helmet? Like the guards' one? Are you serious?" the brunet prince asked excited.

"Sure, I'll create one for you." Odin guaranteed. "On one condition."

"Which one?" Loki gulped, fearing that he had to pay a too high price for that. "Please, don't ask me to renounce to this helmet, I love it too much!" he asserted, making the blond prince beam proudly.

"Don't worry, no one will take it away from you; but all I ask you it to tell me how you fooled my guards, because I know that there's your hand in that!" the king stated.

"Well, it's not correct. Thor helped me. I casted a spell on him; to disguise the voice, and he spoke!" Loki confessed.

"Interesting. So now I know who brags about the fact that he knows me so well!" Odin commented, clearly amused, pretending to glare at Thor who looked away.

"About you, Loki, did you cast a spell to disguise the voice?" Odin repeated astonished.

Loki nodded, fearing that he was in big trouble and his punishment had doubled; but he changed his mind as soon as he felt Odin's hand caressing his head, affectionately.

"So, did you manage to perform such a difficult spell at your tender age?" Odin smiled proudly at him. "My dear son, now I have the absolute certainty of this: you'll become the most powerful wizard of Asgard!"

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this should have been the last chapter, but then someone confessed that she would have liked to see Loki deal with Thor's friends...
> 
> That's why, before 'Tricked Thunder', which is the sequel with our beloved gods grown up; there will be one last chapter of this story about that fact.
> 
> So get ready for the little tricks of the little god of the little Mischief! ^^
> 
> In the meantime, I'm really, really eager to know what you think about this chapter.
> 
> Is it too sappy? Sorry, but I didn't resist. *bites her nails*
> 
> Did someone guess which Thor's gift would be? ;)
> 
> so, please, c'mon, don't be shy, feel free to tell me everything, good or bad stuff ^^
> 
>  
> 
> I thank you all for your time , anyway! ^^
> 
> p.s. Give me few minutes and I'll update 'Expected Something Unexpected' , too ^^


	4. IV I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! thank you for kudos and the bookmark ^^

IV. (I)

"Thor, dear, you unbuttoned your vest all wrong. Come here!" Frigg called him, setting it with care, under the little boy's bothered look.

"Mother! You're embarrassing me!" the blond protested, with a loud snort.

"Well, yeah, it's very embarrassing the fact that, although I'm younger than you, I can dress myself flawlessly!" Loki made fun of him, earning a glare from the blond.

They were all gathered in Thor's room, as their mother was dealing with the last preparations for the party that had been promised to them.

Yeah, because that long, annoying and terribly boring week confined in their rooms was finally over.

"That's true, honey, you dressed yourself correctly, but there must be some serious quarrels between a comb and your hair. Come here!" the queen called him, arranging lovingly his messy, jet-black hair, as the youngest prince showed his utter disappoint.

"Well, I know. Not everyone has the big luck of being born with such perfect hair as mine!" Thor made his witty remark, as he passed a hand though his golden hair that came back to their perfect hair set immediately after.

"Shut up!" Loki grumbled, parting from his mother.

"For Odin's sake! You two! Stop arguing if you don't want the umpteenth castigation!" Frigg sentenced, with the proper authority that sometimes a judicious mother must have.

"Sorry..." the two children groaned in unison.

"Tonight's party is very important and you two must behave, especially you, Loki! Your father told you what he's planning to do, didn't he?"

The child nodded.

"And do you agree?" Frigg went on.

Loki shrugged.

"Well, it's not that I'm likely to increase my popularity at court." he murmured, grieving.

Just like a conditioned reflex, Frigg held him tight.

"Loki, no, do not talk like this. You'll see, everyone is going to accept you; and if they don't, they're blind and heartless!" she whispered. "Besides, I'm sure that your brother won't let such a thing ever happen!" she added, turning to Thor and including him in her embrace.

"Never ever! If someone dares to treat my little brother badly, I'll kick their asses!" the elder prince swore.

"Thor! That's not the way a prince should talk!" Frigg reproached him, but not so bothered after all.

Loki thanked him with a genuine smile.

"But it's not necessary. I can take care of myself!" he declared, with a hint of pride.

"Fine. You're ready. I'll go to the party room. Don't you dare to be late!" their mother reminded to them, leaving the room.

"Here we go." Thor stated.

"Well, for once, I'm going to be the protagonist!" the younger prince smirked.

Thor nodded with a smile.

"But don't you get too accustomed to that!" he added immediately after, pinching his cheek affectionately

They walked though the corridor that leaded to the room that was used for parties, receptions and big events.

And that night would be a great event, indeed.

Frigg had suggested it like an ordinary party, in order to cheer their sons up; but Odin had seen it as the proper occasion to let all the Asgardian people know about Loki's real origin.

Since the kid concerned had found the secret out, he knew that for one reason or another, that news wouldn't have remained hidden for too long; so the wisest thing to do was beat the time.

Obviously, he had chatted with Loki for all that morning long about that, and he was glad that the kid had consented to him doing that.

Odin walked towards his sons, allowing Thor to go and taking Loki aside.

"My dear son, are you ready?"

Loki nodded, with fierce and determination sparkling in his look.

"Tonight we're going to take a very important step." the king asserted.

"I know, father, but I feel that it's right to take this step." the little prince replied.

"This is very good," the Allfather smiled, placing one hand on his son's shoulder. "I made a promise to you, do you remember?"

Loki nodded again, but this time more wavering.

"I always keep my word!" Odin smiled benevolent at him, showing his younger son a certain object that he kept hidden inside the cape.

It was a helmet, identical to the royal guards'one, but smaller.

Loki beamed. He had insisted so stubbornly to convince Frigg to let him wear the helmet that Thor had made for him, but the woman had been irremovable, saying that such a thing wouldn't be proper for such a solemn situation.

"Thank you, father! Can I really..." he murmured, so excited that he didn't even manage to end his question.

The king nodded, giving the accessory to him.

"It's yours." he stated.

Loki didn't waste time and wore it, looking for the closest mirror, in order to stare at himself. He didn't know why, but to wear that helmet made him feel more self-confident, without mentioning the fact that it fitted him to a T.

"Now, you can go to your brother and the others. I'll call you when it's the moment for the announcement." the king sent him away; and after thanking him one more time, Loki ran away happily, despite the etiquette that forbid such a wild behaviour.

Odin chuckled, but then his faces darkened a little bit.

\- Oh, Loki, I wish that I'm really doing the right thing!-

The party had been going on for almost one hour.

Among the several appetizers, Thor and his closest friends were chatting about everything and nothing. Loki was there with them, making a huge effort to stand the company of those kids who he regarded only as intruder.

And the feeling was mutual to Thor's friends.

"Hey, Loki, is it true that you ran away from home?" Fandral wondered. He was a blonde child, with an aristocratic and hoity-toity attitude.

"Yep, it's true." the questioned guy replied shortly.

"And is it true that you even wanted to leave the realm?" Volstagg clumsily asked, with his mouth still plenty of the deliciousness he had stolen from the buffet.

Volstagg was a child with brown hair and a very robust constitution.

Loki stared at him with disgust. At least, Fandral was much more refined.

"Yep, it's true, I even wanted to leave the realm!" the brunet pandered to him, smugly.

"For once you were doing something clever! Couldn't you avoid coming back?" Sif commented acidly.

She was a very beautiful little girl, with long, amazing blond hair, but with an unwomanly attitude.

"Sif! Take it back , now!" Thor summoned her, glaring icily at her; as Loki felt the blow, controlling himself not to give those hateful idiots the satisfaction of seeing him cry.

It was enough to look at his brother's smiling face to find again the proper serenity. Every time Thor smiled at him, for Loki the whole world ceased to have any sort of importance and everything was okay.

"As you wish, Thor, but there's no way I'm going to apologize to him!" Sif snorted, pissed off.

"Is it true that this party is in your honour?" Volstagg asked Loki, this time having the accuracy of not gorging.

Loki nodded.

"What the heck can you have so special to deserve a whole party in your honour?" Fandral wondered, sceptically and coldly.

"You'll see!" Loki sneered.

"Besides... what the heck did you put on your head? You're so ridiculous!" Fandral burst out laughing coarsely.

Thor was about to say something, but Loki anticipated him.

"Yeah, laugh as much as you please! The truth is that you're only envious, because I have a royal ornament and you have a worn, fur jacket that you wear way too much, in my opinion!" he made his venomous remark, as he pointed just at the fur jacket that the blond child had decided to wear even in that occasion.

Fandral jolted in awkward, which meant that Loki had hit the mark.

A snicker escaped from Thor's lips, but it wasn't the only one, since even Sif didn't resist to that impulse.

To Loki that was a double victory.

Hogun, Thor's fourth friend, had kept silent all time long, exchanging some mutual glares with Loki

After all, Hogun had always been a taciturn kid and his dark hair and olive skin made him even grumpier.

"Loki, come here!" Odin called him.

"Oh, this is such a pity! I'm forced to leave such oh-so-pleasant company!" Loki commented sarcastically, pretending to feel deep regret.

Thor chuckled, as his friends watched the brunet walking away.

With his head held high and with a fierce, royal bearing, Loki reached Odin at the pulpit, at the bottom of the wide room.

"My dear subjects, my beloved Asgardian people, we're all gathered here tonight, because I want to prove you that the harmony and the peace between two realms are not only a pure utopia!" the wise king commenced.

The whole population was listening in respectful silence, hanging on his words.

Frigg was beside her consort and exhorted him to go on.

"Before the last, violent and bloody war against Jotunheim, I received an explicit request." Odin recounted.

After all, if he had hidden a part of the truth from Loki, he had to do the same with the whole Asgard.

"There was a baby from that realm, too small to be fully considered of his kind, too defenceless to be abandoned to himself. Who had given birth to him, in order to protect him from all this, asked me to take care of the baby, to welcome him among my people," he went on, as Loki could already feel one million pair of eyes on himself.

However, among all those faces, Loki searched for Thor's friendly face, who nodded, smiling at him.

Loki mirrored both of his smile and nod, getting ready to face all the consequences of that revelation.

"Not only did I fulfil that request, not only did I welcome him among our people; but I welcomed in my family, like a son." Odin revealed, taking Loki by the hand and taking him to the edge of the pulpit, in order to expose the kid to the crowd.

"That baby was Loki nonetheless; but the most important thing is that he's my son, to all intents and purposes!" he asserted.

In the room there were some screams of awe, a few tentative clapping of hands of encouragement and several grumbles of protests.

"Silence!" Odin ordered. "Loki is the link to the Asgardian population and the Jotun population. He's our hope for a harmonious and serene age. He's an instrument of peace!" he proclaimed, full of pride.

"Instrument of peace. I'm an instrument of peace." Loki repeated to himself, with a pleased smirk.

He couldn't understand its meaning yet, but he liked that definition.

"Now you know the truth, but this doesn't authorize you to enact any sort of discrimination. My son Loki deserves to be treated as a prince of Asgard, because this is what he truly is!" Odin pointed out.

"Yep, Loki must be treated as an equal of Thor, his brother. If anyone of you doesn't keep in that in mind, they will deal with me!" Frigg had to add, while she saw winking benevolently at Loki, who smiled at her.

"So Loki is a dirty frost giant, is that true?" Fandral repeated, horrified.

"I've always said that there wasn't anything good in him... and I was right!" Sif hissed.

Volstagg was too busy eating to speak, so he confined himself to nodding.

Hogun was about to say something, but Thor cut him off.

"Don't you dare to add a single word more. You should be ashamed of yourself. Didn't you hear what you've just been told? This must not change and won't ever change anything. Loki is my brother and I'll always protect him... even from you, if it's necessary!" he declared and the last part there was a hint of threat. "You're my dearest friends, so try to still be!" he added, coldly.

His four interlocutors bowed their head, with a remissive attitude.

The blond prince forced his way through the crowd, heading towards Loki; as, one by one, the Asgardian inhabitants paid a visit to the brunet prince, to render homage to him and make questions.

While Odin and Frigg assisted him, Loki tried to answer, a little embarrassed, making his best to be as exhaustive as possible.

He wasn't accustomed to receive all those attentions; after all he had always lived in Thor's shadow.

From one hand, Loki was enjoying that situation, a lot; but from the other hand he was caught off guard, but he tried his best not to show that.

When he saw his brother approaching, he decided to allow himself a more than deserved break from all those interest towards him.

With a look towards the king and the queen, Loki made his silent request, getting the permission.

He reached Thor and they parted in a more isolated corner to speak more freely.

"Thor, did you see? Finally father said that. Now everyone knows!" the brunet prince exclaimed.

"I saw." the other smiled, but then he noticed a shade of disquiet in those big, amazing, emerald eyes. "What's wrong, little brother?" he added, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know. I have the feeling that this won't last. Tonight everyone is nice to me, because father and mother ordered that; but then this will make increase the scorn they already felt towards me," the younger kid confessed, parting from him.

"No, Loki it won't be like that. What father did tonight changed everything, yeah, but for the better. And this is going to last!" the blond comforted him.

Loki turned to him.

"Really? And what do you tell me about your dear friends? How did they react?" he asked him.

"Well, they were in shock, at the beginning, but then they started to figure out so many things... and from now on they will find your company much more pleasant!" Thor blathered, without facing the questioning eyes of the brunet, who burst out laughing delighted.

"Oh, Thor, please! You're so incapable of lying!" the younger kid stated.

"You're right. They weren't nice to you at all, both before and after that news." the blond admitted, facing his look and this time in those little but wonderful sapphires Loki could read the uncomfortable truth.

"But, you know, they're not mean, it's just that they..." the elder kid added.

"You always justify them, even when they don't deserve it!" Loki snapped, indignant.

"Loki, I can't say that you always behave with them!" Thor made him notice.

Mistake. A terrible mistake.

Loki's eyes got teary.

"You never understand anything! It's called 'self-defence'! Both with words and facts. If they insult me or attack me, you can't expect me to let them do that. I react, wrong or right, it doesn't matter!" Loki replied, clenching his fist.

"I-I didn't want to..." Thor trailed.

He wanted to say that he had stood up for him, before, with his friends; but he said nothing. he was sure that Loki wouldn't have believed him.

"Go away, Thor. If your dear friends are more important than anything, go back to them!" Loki hissed.

"NO!" Thor protested, with an increasing determination sparkling in his blue eyes. "You are more important than anything. Loki, you come first. Always!" he declared, as serious as Loki rarely had seen him.

"Really?" he murmured, wiping the tears from his face.

Thor held one of Loki's hands in his.

"Really. If there's a way to show you..."

"Yep, there is." Loki cut him off, resting his other hand above the one Thor was holding.

Those were the words that Loki couldn't wait to hear and an evil smirk appeared on his features.

"Would you help me teach your dear friends a little lesson?" he wondered.

Thor quitted holding his hands.

"Loki! We've just finished a whole week of punishment. Don't you think that we'd better be quiet for a while?" his brother retorted.

"It's nothing dangerous. It's only a little, innocent joke. But if you don't feel like helping me, I'll do on my own!" Loki teased him, totally aware that he was pushing Thor's right buttons.

"Never, Loki. I'll never leave you on your own and you know that. Now just tell me what you plan to do." the other stuck back.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow, at morning. As soon as you're ready, go to my room and I'll explain you everything." the brunet informed him. "Now go back to the others and let's enjoy the rest of this party. I'll take advantage of that to get all the stuff what we need." he instructed him and the other obliged, without making any further question.

(End I)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So are you curios?
> 
> Well, get ready for little Loki's revenge! XD
> 
> Don't miss next chapter, the last one!
> 
> Hope you liked this part, pretty please, let me know *makes puppy eyes*


	5. IV II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hellooo  
> thanks for the kudos ^^
> 
> first warning: Fluffy fluff even this time.. but I guarantee that the sequel won't be so sappy, lol ^^
> 
> second warning: Probably it's not proper Asgardian stuff; but since I need it for my story (and I think that it's something very suitable to kids), can you please pretend this little exception? I mean... what if on Asgard people worshipped even the art of drawing and there were paper, cardboard, pencils, temperas and stuff like that? *crosses fingers*
> 
> have a nice reading ^^

IV II.

The day after, without even waiting for his mother to wake him up, as usual, Thor awoke at early morning and, after getting ready, he walked though the corridor that leaded to his brother's room.

He just had to knock a couple of times, before Loki ran to him.

"Come in, brother!" he exhorted him, and then he closed the door behind their shoulders. "I've already told mother that you would have spent the whole morning with me, so she won't be anxious, searching for you all around the palace!" he informed the other, taking him in the middle of the room, where there were some huge sheets of solid cardboard, unrolled, blocked on the floor by some heavy books on each corner.

"Where did you take them?" Thor questioned the brunet, stunned.

"Yesterday I talked with the servant who takes care of all the decorative things for every party and receptions. I told him that we wanted to set a huge surprise for father; that's why the servant managed to give me all the necessary stuff so fast and so secretly!" the younger kid explained.

"Loki! If you keep lying, when you grow up you'll become the god of Lies!" the elder kid chuckled.

"Why not? After all, it doesn't sound so bad." the brunet smiled to himself.

"And why are there all this blue temperas?" Thor wondered, more and more perplexed.

"Because blue is the key colour for what we're about to do!" Loki winked at him.

"By the way… what are we exactly going to do?"

The only answer Thor received was Loki putting a pencil in his hand and taking one for himself, sitting with him in front of the cardboards.

"Thor, are you good at drawing?"

/

About a couple of hours later, the two kids were finishing filling with tempera the last edges of the frost giants that they had approximately drawn, in different attacking poses.

"It's enough. Now we'll let the drawings dry and then we'll cut the silhouettes." Loki suggested, as he admired their work with satisfaction.

"They're not very convincing drawings… " Thor grumbled.

After all, they couldn't expect too much from their tender ages.

"I know, but it doesn't matter, it will work anyway. If things go as I want them to go, they won't even stare at the silhouettes!" the younger prince sneered. "You're going to meet them at the roayal gardens, before the training, aren't you?"

"Yep; do you want to come with me?" Thor invited him, although he wasn't sure that that would be a good idea.

"No way! I prefer staying here and studying magic, there are so many things I still have to learn! For example, if I had been already able to create illusions from nothing, we could have spared ourselves all those exhausting drawing!" he pointed out.

"Well, I had so much fun!" Thor giggled, half soiled with blue paint.

"Me, too; but as soon as they dry, I'll show you something even funnier!" Loki announced. "Coming back to what I was saying before, the fact that you today see your little friends is essential for the first phase of my plan. This is what you have to do... "

/

They waited for another hour, for good measures; and then they cut all the huge silhouettes, putting them in the proper pedestals to hold them still.

"Yeah, okay; they are even kind of scary … but they are only three, it doesn't seem an army!" Thor pointed out, sceptically.

"This is what you think. Just look!" Loki smirked and then he moved his hand slowly, staring at the silhouettes.

They immediately multiplied, until they become twentyfold.

Thor looked at them astonished, touching one of them and realising that it was only an illusion.

With a quick move of his hand, Loki made all the illusions disappear.

"They were so many.. it seemed a huge army for real!" Thor commented ecstatic, with wonder in his blue eyes.

"Yep, that's true!" Loki nodded. "Think about it, big bother; if I work really hard, one day I'll be able to perform this magic on myself!" he informed him, hyper-thrilled, daydreaming about that oh-so-appealing eventuality.

***************** (In the meantime)

"They're inside Loki's room? Both of them?" Odin wondered, sort of surprised.

"Yes, my king, they've been locked there for at least three hours!" Frigg reported.

"So, wasn't enough for them to spend a whole week confined in their rooms?" he wondered, puzzled, caressing his bearded chin

"My dear, the real punishment for them was not to spend time together. Now I'm sure that they are plotting their umpteenth mischief!" the wise woman asserted, with a knowing smile.

"First, let's see what they're going to do; and then we'll see if we need to take measures against them!" the king sentenced. After all, he was amused by their sons' pranks, within limits, of course!

/

As expected, Thor found his friends in the afternoon, at the royal gardens.

"Thor, how can it be that yesterday, when the king, your father, gave us that shocking news, you were so calm?" Fandral pointed out.

"It's simple. I already knew." Thor answered tranquilly.

"Really? So had king Odin already told you about that?" Volstagg questioned him.

"This is not exactly. Let's say that I've personally experienced who really my brother was!" the young prince announced.

"Do you mean that... you saw him changing his features?" Sif asked him, as curios as agitated.

Thor confined himself to nodding.

"How did it happen?" Hogun wondered.

"Last week, Loki and I were in the Weapons' room. We managed to go there, for a challenge. And we were quarrelling, as always; but I said something that really pissed him off, a lot... and Loki... well, he wasn't himself anymore!" Thor reported, following trustfully his little brother's clear instructions.

"What... what does it mean?" Fandral asked him, very disquiet.

"He turned into something else. He became huge, all blue with bloodshot eyes. He spitted icy blades and destroyed two guards who tried to stop him!" Thor kept his fake tale, deciding to exaggerate some details, compared to what Loki had said to him.

"And... what did you do?" Sif asked him, anguished.

"I've tried to talk to him, to calm him down; but he was about to attack me as well. But then father came, he touched him and Loki came back to his usual features; he was just terribly scared, just like all of us, after all. And then, father decided that it was time to tell us the truth." Thor concluded.

"And the king... took Loki back with him.. even after what he did to the guards?" Sif interrogated him, stunned.

"Sure!" Thor smiled and shrugged, as if it wasn't a big matter. "Father always gives a second chance, to everyone. However, the secret is not to make Loki angry, so you won't have anything to fear!"

"But... we always made Loki angry. Always!" Volstagg grumbled, in deep concern.

"Loki can be very, very patient. So far you've been lucky, but if I were you I wouldn't puch my luck any further!" Thor warned them, pretending to be extremely worried for them.

The other exchanged distressed looks and Thor was satisfied by that.

The first phase of the plan was done successfully and he couldn't wait to inform Loki.

/

The morning after, Loki allowed himself to have a pleasant walk around the park, taking with him one of his books, intentioned to read it in the open air.

From the opposite side, he saw four familiar figures heading towards him.

"Good morning, Loki, don't you think it's a marvellous day?" Volstagg commenced.

"It's the proper weather for a nice reading!" the little prince smiled.

"Do you want some of my snack?" Volstagg went on, handing his haunch.

Loki declined that disagreeable offer, as gently as he could.

"Why should you waste such a beautiful day with a dusty reading? The best thing would be to train a little. Maybe I could give you some fence lessons? You could become a very brilliant swordsman, like me!" Fandral suggested.

"Although your offer is very appealing, nope. I prefer my dusty reading. Thank you!" Loki showed a forced smile.

"Okay, but if you want to take a break, you'll find us here. If you want, I'll let you comb my hair, arranging them as you please!" Sif informed him.

She never let anyone touch her hair. Never.

It wasn't the only unique and rare thing that happened, because Hogun, without uttering a word, as usual, showed Loki a huge, bright grin.

Loki waved his hand at everyone and walked away, arriving on time to his date with Thor.

"So, how was that?" the elder brother asked him, eager to know.

"Geez! I'm almost tempted not to perform the final phase of our plan. I like their new way to treat me!" the younger brother confessed, reaching him on the grass.

Thor patted him affectionately.

"I know, and I'm happy for you, little brother; but this is happening only because they fear you, I want it to happen because they respect you!" Thor replied.

"So do you think I should go on with the plan?" Loki asked for confirmation.

"I absolutely do. We established everything for this afternoon. Did you feel the little plastic bag?" Thor asked, glad for seeing him nod.

"Did you mistake me for an inexperienced kid? I've thought at every slightest detail. About you, remember to bring the silhouettes close enough, so I can invoke them easily." the brunet reminded to him.

"Count on me!" the blond guaranteed.

/

The afternoon came and this time it was Loki to head towards the royal gardens.

Sif and the little warriors were bewildered when they saw him there.

"H-hi L-Loki. Where is Thor?" Fandral hazarded.

"He will arrive later. May is this fact annoying you?" Loki asked them peacefully.

"N-no- way!" Sif assured.

"It's useless that you go on with this pathetic scene. I know what Thor told you." Loki informed them, with a colder tone.

"N-no, Loki, wh-what are you talking about? We've just realized on our own that we misbehaved with you way too much and we have to treat you better!" Fandral clutched at straws.

"It's all a bunch of lies!" Loki snapped, nervously.

"Do-don't get angry, please!" Volstagg begged him, as he started to fear the worse.

Loki sneered, totally amused.

"Oh, you don't want that, do you? Do you fear the consequences? Do you fear what could happen... to me?" he said, squeezing the little plastic bag he hid in his fist and its dense liquid started to stain his palm.

"Lo-look at his hand!" Sif screamed.

"It became blue!" Volstagg agitated.

"He started his transformation!" Fandral figured out, deeply worried.

"It's not anything good." Hogun stated, agitated.

Loki burst out laughing.

"Oh, so is that what you fear? So Thor didn't tell you, did he?"

"Te-tell us what?" Sif stuttered.

"That I also have the power to invoke my own kind here, so they will be able to destroy you once for all!" Loki warned them, snapping his fingers and few seconds later; the four kidsfound themselves surrounded by big blue dudes, with scary red eyes.

The four children hugged themselves and huddled up, while they screamed terrified.

"Thor! Thoooooooooooooooor! Help us!" Fandal called him out.

As if by charm, Thor ran towards them.

"Loki, noooo! What did you do?" he turned to his brother, with the best angry tone he could assume.

"It's too late by then!" Loki stated acidly, as the four kids' scary screams were their background.

"Oh, no! Be careful, my friends! The frost giants are creating ice weapons to attack you. Run away!" Thor informed them, pretending to be very concerned.

The only answer the two princes received from Sif and the little warriors was the increased volume of their screams, as they hugged each other even tighter.

"Thor! Help us!" Sif yelped.

"Why should I? I guess you can deal on your own! Just try to look at them better!" the elder prince replied, cockily.

"What?" Hogun wondered, following his advice, just like the others did.

"But... they're only sketches!" Fandral figured out, smashing down a silhouette with a punch.

"Some of them are not even real!" Sif corrected him, kicking nothing but air.

Volstagg and Hogun got rid of the remaining two sketches.

"So do you dare to call yourself worthy warriors?" Loki made fun of them, laughing with Thor.

"But... your hand!" Volstagg protested.

Thor took a wet cloth and cleaned Loki's blue hand that turned pale pink once again.

"See? You, morons, it was only blue paint. Washable blue paint!" the brunet prince explained.

Once the four kids calmed down, Thor came closer to them.

"My friends, today Loki and I taught you an important lesson: you should never judge by appearances!" Thor proclaimed, and then he started to explain to them, supported also by Loki's interventions, how things had really gone.

"So, Loki, did you plot all this on your own?" Volstagg questioned him when they finished their confessions.

"Yep, but without my brother's help I wouldn't be able to do it!" Loki admitted, smiling at Thor.

"Well, it's just... brilliant! The sketches, the painted hand, the fake information about you. This is a real good joke, I have to admit it!" Fandral asserted.

"You know, Loki knows hundred jokes, even more elaborated than this one!" Thor informed them.

"And could you teach them to us, too?" Volstagg asked him hesitantly.

Loki smirked.

"Why not? The more we are, more pranks we can invent!" he approved.

"And this is also useful for the training. I mean, this kind of tricks, like the frost giants one. Do you think you can do many others?" Sif interrogated him.

"Sure, all the ones you wish!" Loki declared with a sincere smile.

Hogun walked closer to him.

"You're not so bad, shorty!" he stated with half smile.

Loki was truly happy. That wasn't a scene motivated by fear. No. Now they were accepting him for real.

/

As soon as the king knew what their sons had done, he not only approved the teamwork that could do nothing but increase their brotherly bound; but also was enormously satisfied, because they hadn't resort to any kind of violence.

"You taught a righteous lesson in a very reasonable way. And you, Loki, you proved once more how many progresses you're doing with your magic... although I have to ask you not to neglect the warrior activities." the king sentenced.

"I'll try to do all I can, father." Loki assured. "So there won't be a punishment... right?" he asked for confirmations, as optimistic as ever.

"That's right, no punishment. Quite the contrary, you deserve a prize!" the king smiled benevolently at them.

"Really?" Loki asked thrilled.

"Ask me whatever you want and I'll grant your wish." Odin gave his word.

Thor already knew what to ask.

"Father, can Loki and I come back to the Weapons'room, all alone?" the blond prince wondered.

The king jolted hearing that unexpected request.

Also Loki turned towards his brother, sort of puzzled.

"Why?" Odin asked his elder son.

"I just want to assure myself about something. I promise to you that we won't make any trouble. Do you think that we're worthy of your trust?" Thor insisted.

"So be it!" the king agreed.

/

"What?" Loki asked him, shocked.

"You heard me. I asked you to touch it!" Thor repeated.

They were in the Weapons' room, on their own, in front of the casket of the Ancient Winters.

"Are you nuts? You remember what happened the last time I did, don't you?"

"Of course I do. And I want it to happen again." the blond declared firmly.

"Are you sure? Swear to me that you won't get scared and you won't call me 'monster' again!" Loki pouted, not very convinced of what he was about to do.

Thor nodded, exhorting him to do as he had asked.

Loki touched the casket with one hand and he immediately changed his features, utterly.

Thor did nothing bur stare at him with big curiosity, walking closer and closer to the brunet.

"See? I'm not scared anymore." he smiled at him.

"No, Thor, don't get so close. Don't you remember? Father always say not to touch the frost giants, it's painful!" Loki said, very concerned.

Without minding at his warnings, Thor came even closer, placing a soft kiss on the point of his nose that turned immediately pink.

************** (In the meantime)

Despite his trust, Odin and Frigg were with Heimdall, so they could monitor the whole situation.

"What do you see now, Heimdall?" the king asked him.

The guardian smiled.

"I see two brothers."

******************** (In the meantime)

From grieved and darkened, Loki resumed smiling brightly, staring at his brother with his red eyes, filled with affection; despite their gloomy aspect.

"You can touch me! I didn't hurt you!" he figured out, happy. "How can it be?" he wondered.

The only answer he received was Thor kissing him again, this time on his cheek that turned pink as well; and then he brought his mouth to his ear.

"Because you're special, my little giant!"

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I'm sort of fond of those two lovely little devils, lol, I'll miss them :')
> 
> I hope you'll like them as well ^^
> 
> The end was inspired by this wonderful sketch of a very dear girl, Eternal, aka Silvia U. :
> 
> pics .livejournal hyper_bliss/ pic/00011qx 7/s640x 480
> 
> isn't it adorable? 3
> 
> Let's read their next adventure in the sequel 'Tricked Thunder' with our favourite god all grown up, don't miss it.. 
> 
> give me few minutes and, for the ones who follows that one, I'll update 'Expecting' too ^^
> 
> In the meantime, please, feel free to tell me whatever you think about the end of this one , even a word can make my day! ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you'll like it; it would be awesome if you took your time to let me know what you think ;)
> 
> Once again, this story is around in another archive, too, under another usermane, but it's still me ^^
> 
> so, sorry if you already know it..


End file.
